Tissue dispensing devices



M. LQDEWICK ETAL.

TISSUE DISPENS ING DEVICES Filed May 2a, 195s izNVENToRs ddelelneloq/baldi .mf/dren! ifgdewldg United States Patent O 3,269,593 TISSUEDISPENSING DEVICES Madeleine Lodewick and Mildred Lodewick, both of 156E. 52nd St., New York 22, N.Y. Filed May 28, 1963, Ser. No. 283,804 2Claims. (Cl. 221-63) This invention relates to improvements in 4tissuedispensers, and more particularly to an improved dispenser for aquantity pack of tissues whereby -they are kept substantially protectedfrom dust and germs, and each one is accessible for withdrawal up to thevery last one. In the popular deep box packages, the last ones arediticult to reach. IOur device is suitable for manufacture in suchmaterials as plastic, cardboard or metal.

A further object of our invention is to provide a dispenser with theforegoing advantages without having to open and close a cover each timea tissue is desired for use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for the attainmentof the foregoing advantages together with the provision for a new,simple and diiferent manner of lling and relling the dispenser.

These and other objects will be apparent from the followingspeciiication, when taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is 4a perspective view of the dispenser with a tissue beingwithdrawn from it.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the loose inlay device or cover of theassembly.

IFIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device havingafxed end portions, showing the embodiment in which the cover is droppeddown l011 a portion of tissues.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, our dispenser comprises abody portion 1 of which the top is open except for narrow inwardlyprojected ledges 2 at the ends which could be extended around the sidesas shown at v3. An inlay `4 which we may call a magic cover, loosely tsthe interior of the box and rests upon the top of the pack of tissues inthe box. The inlay y4 has a small central aperture KS adaptable forpermitting the thumb and iinger to grasp a tissue, the opening becomingsmaller at each side, terminating in short, narrow or pointed ends. Itwill be perceived that as the tissue 6 is pulled through this smallaperture 5 for withdrawal the cover 4 is forced to move upward with it.Thus the tissue `6 is not released until the cover 4 contacts theoverhanging ledges 2 and 3 at the top when, as the tissue is withdrawn,the cover 4 drops down to rest on the next tissue to be plucked. Thus itcan be seen that the cooperative functioning of the ledges 2 and 3, thecover 4, and the aperture 5 accomplishes a unique dispensing procedure.A further advantage of our device can be perceived in the opportunity itprovides for unusual placements of decorations. Also it will beperceived that the ledges 2 and 3 are not required to have straightinside edges, and therefore could incorporate a decorative element intheir outline, as well as being further enhanced with decorationsapplied, embossed, pierced or printed.

The end portions 7 in 'FIGURE 3 may be made separately and aixed in amanner to be movable and swing backward over the ends of the container1, to expose the entire interior, so that -a pack of tissues can easilybe dropped therein. These end portions -7 may also be entirelyremovable, and certain :flexible plastic materials or small innerprojections on them would allow them to -be clamped easily -and rmlyonto the box 1 rafter refilling.

The trame v8 shown at the base of the embodiment in FIGURE 3 could bemolded in one with the dispenser 1 or could be in one with a separatelyattached bottom on which the box-1ike structure sets, when the dispenser1 may be lled from the bottom.

While we have shown and described two specitc embodiments of ourinvention it will be understood that we do not wish to be limitedexactly thereto since various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of our invention as deiined in the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. A tissue dispensing device comprising a box-like container adaptedt-o contain a stack of tissues, said container having opposed side wallsand end walls, being open at the top, a cover loosely positioned withinsaid container for free vertical movement therein, said cover extendinginto relatively close proximity to said side and end walls and beingadapted to rest on the stack of tissues in said container and movedownwardly as the stack is depleted, a small dispensing aperture in saidcover through which the tissues may be withdrawn one at a time, a narrowledge extending in normal position `across the open top of thecontainer, adjacent each end wall and extending inwardly therefrom toengage and prevent withdrawal of the cover from the container as atissue is being drawn through said small dispensing aperture, each ofsaid ledges extending over the upper edges of said side walls andterminating in downwardly extending tabs pivoted to said side walls sothat said ledges may be swung outwardly over said end walls to permitremoval of said cover and relling of said container with tissues.

2. A tissue dispensing device comprising a box-like container `adaptedto contain a stack of tissues, said container having opposed side wallsand end walls, being open at the top, a cover loosely positioned withinsaid container for free vertical movement therein, said cover extendinginto relatively close proximity to said side and end walls and beingadapted to rest on the stack of tissues in said container and movedownwardly as the stack is depleted, a small dispensing aperture invsaid cover through which the tissues may be Withdrawn one at a time, anarrow ledge extending in normal position across the open top of thecontainer, adjacent each end wall and extending inwardly therefrom toengage and prevent withdrawal of the cover from the container as atissue is being drawn through said 4small dispensing aperture, each ofsaid ledges extending over the upper edges of said side walls andterminating in downwardly extending tabs resiliently and removablygripping the outer surfaces of said side walls so that said ledges maybe removed from said container to permit release of said cover andrefilling of said container with tissues.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. v157,7383/1950 Chase.

1,072,859 9/1913 Kingsley 221-46 X 1,198,428 9/ 1916 Elsas 221-341,217,682 2/ 1917 Baldwin 221-46 X 1,362,449 1:2/1920 Teall 221-451,464,180 8/1923 Hudson '2121-48 1,603,714 10/ 1926 -Rappleye 221-48(Other references on following page)

1. A TISSUE DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING A BOX-LIKE CONTAINER ADAPTED TOCONTAIN A STACK OF TISSUES, SAID CONTAINER HAVING OPPOSED SIDE WALLS ANDEND WALLS, BEING OPEN AT THE TOP, A COVER LOOSELY POSITIONED WITHIN SAIDCONTAINER FOR FREE VERTICAL MOVEMENT THEREIN, SAID COVER EXTENDING INTORELATIVELY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID SIDE AND END WALLS AND BEING ADAPTEDTO REST ON THE STACK OF TISSUES IN SAID CONTAINER AND MOVE DOWNWARDLY ASTHE STACK IS DEPLETED, A SMALL DISPENSING APERTURE IN SAID COVER THROUGHWHICH THE TISSUES MAY BE WITHDRAWN ONE AT A TIME, A NARROW LEDGEEXTENDING IN NORMAL POSITION ACROSS THE OPEN TOP OF THE CONTAINER,ADJACENT EACH END WALL AND EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM TO ENGAGE ANDPREVENT WITHDRAWAL OF THE COVER FROM THE CONTAINER AS A TISSUE IS BEINGDRAWN THROUGH SAID SMALL DISPENSING APERTURE, EACH OF SAID LEDGESEXTENDING OVER THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND TERMINATING INDOWNWARDLY EXTENDING TABS PIVOTED TO SAID SIDE WALLS SO THAT SAID LEDGESMAY BE SWUNG OUTWARDLY OVER SAID END WALLS TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF SAIDCOVER AND REFILLING OF SAID CONTAINER WITH TISSUES.